Amherst Baseball Leagues: Welcome

Friday, August 1

Welcome to the Amherst Baseball Leagues, Amherst, Massachusetts. Youth ages 5 to 19.

Last updated: Saturday, August 1 at 11:00 PM

American Legion:

(from GazetteNet): 

The Amherst Legion team finished in first place with a 14-4 regular season record and will host the first of a best of three game series against Westfield in the District 2 Playoffs.

District 2 Playoffs: 

Game 1: Sunday, July 20 - Ziomek Field:

Amherst 8, Westfield 2

Ben Petrides tossed a complete game as Amherst won Game 1 of the best-of-3 first round series at home Sunday. The victory came after the first game was postponed by weather Friday and Saturday nights. Petrides allowed the two runs on six hits, striking out four and walking none. He helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jeremy Roberts knocked in three runs on a pair of hits for Amherst, and Matt Bohl went 3-for-4.

Game 2: Monday, July 21 - Jachym Field:

Amherst 2 - Westfield 1

Despite stranding nine runners on base, Amherst managed to squeeze by Westfield 2-1 on Monday in the American Legion district playoffs. Coupled with an 8-2 win Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-3 series, Westfield was eliminated from the playoffs. Amherst's second-round opponent has yet to be determined. We left "too many on base in clutch situations, but our good hitters came through in the end," Amherst coach David Knightly said. "Our good hitters did it when we needed it." Those hitters stepped up for Amherst in the top of the seventh inning with the team trailing 1-0. Lead-off batter David Marx reached first base on an error to start the rally. Two batters later, Amherst's Matt Bohl hit a grounder that got past Westfield's second baseman to put runners at first and second. "I wanted to do everything I could to get a hit and keep the rally going," said Bohl, who was 3-for-3. "I was swinging the bat well (Sunday) so I thought I'd keep that going." "And I owe it a lot to having Ben (Petrides) behind me," Bohl added. Monday night, Petrides hit an RBI single which plated Marx with the tying run. Mike Kelly then followed with a line-drive double down the third base line to score Bohl with the go-ahead run. And that's all Amherst needed. "I was pretty nervous at first with two outs and I knew we were hanging on by a thread," Kelly said. "But the ball was in a perfect spot and I just let loose." Kelly, who went 0-for-2 before his game-winning RBI double, said getting the tying run made a big difference in easing the pressure. "Ben came up huge advancing (Bohl) to third base," he said. Amherst's Kevin Ziomek also had a big outing on the mound, striking out four and allowing only two hits in six innings. "I wasn't really feeling it coming out in the start, but I kept fighting through it and working with our catcher," Ziomek said. "I finally picked it up though and found the location." Westfield threatened in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. But a squeeze play resulted in an out at home plate, a strikeout and a pop-up got Amherst out of the inning unscathed. Westfield's run came in the fifth inning when Ziomek hit batter Steve Blair with the bases loaded. "He was crowding the plate, and I was pitching inside," Ziomek said. "After that, I just had to focus and it paid off." Ziomek was relieved by Jasper Adams in the seventh. Adams retired the side in order, and had two strikeouts to end the game and earn the save.

Amherst advances to the District 2 Sectional tournament.  Their opponent will be Worcester East Side.

District 2 Sectional Playoffs: 

Game 1: Sunday, July 27 - Ziomek Field:

Worcester East Side 4 - Amherst 1

Ben Petrides was a tough-luck loser as Amherst dropped the rain-shortened opening game of its best-of-three American Legion sectional series 4-1 with Worcester East Side on Sunday at Ziomek Field. Petrides allowed four runs on six hits, walked one and fanned one in seven innings of work. The game was called official after seven due to the rain. Petrides also drove in Amherst's only run, as his hit scored Matt Bohl. Amherst could only muster four hits.

"We've been playing like that all during the season," coach David Knightly said. "We'll get it going. You really have to play flawless ball at this point of the year."

Game 2: Monday, July 28 - Tivnan Field:

Worcester East Side 10 - Amherst 1

The hits came quickly for Worcester East Side, and suddenly Amherst was staring at a large deficit. Worcester used a six-run fifth inning to pull away and sweep the best-of-three series with a 10-1 win at Tivnan Field in Worcester Monday. East Side (21-3) jump on first pitches from Kevin Ziomek and had six of its 10 hits in the fifth as Worcester took a 7-1 lead. A three-run seventh put an end to Amherst's season. Ben Petrides (RBI) and Jeremy Gerber each went 2-for-4 for Amherst (16-6), which had five hits in the loss. Ziomek allowed seven runs and seven hits in 4-2/3 inning. Ziomek struck out four and walked one. Fred Shepard pitched the final 3-1/3 innings in relief. Shepard allowed three hits, three runs, struck out three and walked one.
Amherst loses the series 2 games to 0 to end their season. 

Mickey Mantle:

(from GazetteNet): 

The Amherst Mickey Mantle team finished first in the league with a 13-1 regular season record and will host the first round of the District A Tournament playoff game at home on Ziomek Field at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, July 16 against Greenfield.

Division A Tournament:

Game 1: Wednesday, July 16 - Ziomek Field, Amherst:

Amherst 4 - Greenfield 0 

After having three days off, it took a little time for the Amherst bats to get going in its first Mickey Mantle A Division tournament game on Wednesday. But the offense finally came alive in the sixth inning as Amherst defeated Greenfield 4-0 at Ziomek Field. "We came out a little bit nervous, after having three days off," Amherst coach Mark Lore said. "Everyone else is already in playoff mode. But once we got into the game, we made the plays when we had to."

Game 2: Thursday, July 17 - Ziomek Field, Amherst:

Amherst 9 - Mohawk 1

Amherst scored early and often as it rolled over Mohawk 9-1 in the Mickey Mantle A Division playoffs on Thursday. Derek Osborne went five innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out three. Osborne improved to 9-0 on the season with the win. Zack Tanne (2-for-3) had three RBIs and two runs scored and Jack McCutcheon went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Amherst.

Game 3: Saturday, July 19 - South Hadley High School, South Hadley 

Northampton 5 - Amherst 2 

Northampton advanced to the championship game thanks to a late offensive surge as it scored two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth Saturday at South Hadley High School.Jake Laga had a two-run double and scored a run and Dylan Kaufman scored twice for Northampton.Jeff Powers (no runs, four strikeouts) earned the win in relief of Zak Kennedy for Northampton.

Game 4: Sunday, July 20 - South Hadley High School, South Hadley

Amherst 11 - South Hadley 5

Amherst overcame a 5-3 deficit earlier Sunday to qualify for the championship game.Dean Bonneau worked seven innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on three hits.Bonneau led Amherst at the plate going 2-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases.Ryan Horstman took the loss for South Hadley

Game 5: Sunday, July 20 - South Hadley High School, South Hadley:

Amherst 5 - Northampton 2

Amherst defeated Northampton 5-2 to seize the Mickey Mantle A Division Championship at South Hadley High School Sunday.With the win Amherst avenged its loss to Northampton by the same score Saturday.Amherst ace pitcher Derek Osborne delivered, allowing two runs, one earned, while scattering five hits over seven innings.Osborne struck out two and issued one walk.Luke DeRoy went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Tim Nagy (2-for-3) had an RBI and a run scored for Amherst. Sean Cunningham and Dean Bonneau each went 2-for-4 for Amherst.Matt Bak (2-for-3) led Northampton with a double and a triple and Jeff Powers (1-for-3) had the team's lone RBI.Robbie Schmidt took the loss.

Amherst led 2-1 heading into the final inning before scoring three unearned runs.

The Amherst team went 4-1 to win the Mickey Mantle A Division title beating Greenfield, Mohawk, South Hadley, and Northampton (losing only to Northampton earlier in the tournament) to advance to the State Championship.

Amherst advances to the State Division A Tournament.

State Division A Tournament:

Game 1: Friday, July 25 - Blunt Park, Springfield:

Amherst 6 - Northampton 3 

The venue may have been different but the result was more of the same as Amherst beat Northampton 6-3 at the Mickey Mantle A Division State Tournament on Friday at Blunt Park.It was the teams' sixth meeting fo the season and Amherst's fifth win over its rival.Amherst scored three runs in both the third and fourth innings to erase an early deficit to pick up the win in the first round of the Mickey Mantle A Division State Tournament.Amherst will face the Bombers Saturday at 9 a.m. at Blunt Park.

Game 2: Saturday, July 26 - Blunt Park, Springfield:

Amherst beats Bay State Bombers 

In the victory over Bay State, an Bonneau allowed one run on five hits over seven innings while striking out seven to earn the win. Cunningham (2-for-3) had two RBIs and Bohl went 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Game 3: Saturday, July 26 - Blunt Park, Springfield:

Amherst advanced to Sunday's games with wins over East Longmeadow (4-2) and Bay State (5-3) on Saturday. Against East Longmeadow, David Bohl went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Cunningham (2-for-3) added an RBI. Matt Mussante worked six innings for the win and Luke DeRoy pitched the seventh to pick up the save.

Game 4: Sunday, July 27 - Blunt Park, Springfield:

Amherst 5, Agawam 1

Amherst advanced to the state final with a convincing win over Agawam on Sunday at Blunt Park in Springfield. Sean Cunningham went the distance for Amherst, scattering four hits and striking out six. Chuch Hebb (2-for-3) led the offense with a double and two RBIs.

Game 5: Monday, July 28 - Blunt Park, Springfield:

Baystate Bombers 9 - Amherst 1

Anthony Ortiz and Bobby Carkuff each had pinch hit doubles in the fifth inning but it wasn't enough as Bay State forced a deciding game in the championship series. Both teams will meet today at Marshall Roy Park in Springfield at 5:30 with the winner advancing to Thursday's regional championship. The game was suspended Sunday with Bay State leading 5-1 in the third inning. Bay State added two runs in the third and two in the fourth to pull away.

Game 6: Tuesday, July 29 - Marshall Roy  Field, Springfield:

Baystate Bombers 4 - Amherst 2

Amherst looked poised to repeat as state champion after running through the Mickey Mantle A Division Tournament to reach the final of the winners' bracket. But Amherst found itself state runner-up after falling to the Bay State Bombers 4-2 Tuesday, the team's second loss to the Bombers in as many days in the double-elimination tournament. Amherst put runners on in every inning, but it also left 11 men on base at Marshall Roy Park. Amherst scored in just the fifth inning when it plated both its runs. "We got on base, we just came up a little short in getting those guys across," coach Mark Lore said. "It's a little frustrating ... because we knew we could hit them, it was just a matter of getting those clutch hits. We started to get some at the end, we just ran out of time."

Babe Ruth:

Congratulations to the Rotary Pirates in winning the championship against the Battistoni Cubs.

Little League:

Congratulations to the N.E. Chiropractic Braves in winning the championship against the N.E.S. Orioles.

Volunteers:  

Volunteers are needed at all levels.  Please contact President Ziomek at 549-1717 if you would like to help.